Who was behind the Firefly’s “Hey B*#%h. I’m Here!” ad?

(Marketingmagazine.com.my) – By: Malati Siniah

Yesterday MARKETING reported on Firefly’s latest promotional ad which sparked negative social chatter online.

The ad which ran on Firefly’s social media platforms and website featured a man in a suit going on holiday with the bold copy “Hey B*#%h. I’m Here!”.

Responding to MARKETING’s queries on the campaign Firefly shared that the brand’s internal communications department handles all of its promotional campaigns.

The statement from Firefly read:

“It is purely from a creative and marketing gimmick perspective. Moreover, we have included an explanation that ‘b#$%h’ in this context means the ‘beach’ and we mean no harm.”

Yesterday the brand’s shared the explanation above on the post responding to negative Facebook commenters.

Some of those in ad land, however, were not too impressed with Firefly’s move.

Timothy Johnson, Senior VP of Marketing, INTI International University & Colleges shared, “I don’t think Firefly has a brand identity that allows it to talk in such a manner. Seems to be a wannabe Scoot.”

To Woei Hern Chan, Executive Creative Director at ensemble IPG Mediabrands the brand was better off using the word ‘beach’ in its main copy or even ‘beach please’.

“’Phuket I’ll go’ from Air Asia was much better.” Woei Hern Chan shared.

Air Asia’s promotional ad in 2008 that ran in Australia (Picture from: tastythailand.com)

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